TONIGHT’S GAME:The Rangers will begin a back-to-back set when they face-off against the Boston Bruins at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m. — TV: NBC Sports Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7), in an Original Six matchup. The Blueshirts enter the contest with an 0-2-0 record, following a 6-3 loss to the Penguins on Sunday in their home opener. New York is now 36-34-16 all-time in home openers, including a 4-2-1-2 mark in their last nine home openers dating back to the 2003-04 season. The Bruins enter the contest with a 2-0-0 (4 pts) record, following a 2-1 shootout win against the Winnipeg Jets on Monday at Boston. Following the contest, the Rangers will complete their back-to-back set when they face-off against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, Jan. 24, at Wells Fargo Center (7:00 p.m.), in an Atlantic Division matchup.

RANGERS vs. BRUINS:

All-Time: 247-283-97-2 overall (142-119-55-0 at home; 105-164-42-2 on the road)

2013: Tonight is the second of three meetings this season, and the only meeting at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers are 0-1-0 in the season series, following a 3-1 loss in their season-opener on Saturday at Boston. The Blueshirts’ penalty kill was 7-7 (100%) in the contest.

Last Season: New York was 3-1-0 overall (1-1-0 mark at home; 2-0-0 mark on the road). Three of the four meetings were decided by one goal, including a 3-2 overtime victory on Jan. 21 at Boston. The Rangers out-scored the Bruins, 11-7, including a 4-1 advantage in the third period and overtime. The Blueshirts’ power play was 2-8 (25.0%), while their penalty kill was 9-10 (90.0%). Marian Gaborik led all skaters in scoring with four goals and five points in the season series, while Michael Del Zotto and Brad Richards each tallied a series-high, three assists. Henrik Lundqvist was 3-1-0 with a 1.73 GAA, .946 Sv% and one shutout.

The Rangers have won nine of their last 13 games against the Bruins, including five of their last seven meetings

The Blueshirts are 11-3-0 in their last 14 games against the Bruins at MSG, dating back to a 3-2 win on Nov. 20, 2005

Henrik Lundqvist has started in 25 consecutive games against Boston, dating back to Jan. 13, 2007

New York ranked seventh with a 27-12-2 (56 pts) record at home last season; Boston ranked fourth with a 25-15-1 (51 pts) mark on the road last season

The Rangers were 11-8-1 vs. the Northeast Division last season; the Bruins were 12-7-1 vs. the Atlantic Division last season

New York lists no former Bruins on their roster

Boston lists one former Ranger on their roster: Marc Savard (1997-98 – 1998-99)

INDIVIDUAL CAREER LEADERS vs. PENGUINS:

Henrik Lundqvist — 28 GP, 19-7-2, 1.58 GAA, 6 SO

Martin Biron — 31 GP, 12-12-2-1, 2.66 GAA, 1 SO

Brad Richards — 35 GP, 8-22-30

Ryan Callahan — 20 GP, 5-6-11

Michael Del Zotto — 11 GP, 2-4-6

SPECIAL TEAMS:The Blueshirts posted a record of 25-2-4 in games when tallying a power play goal last season, and 34-13-3 when not allowing a power play goal.

Power Play: The Blueshirts were 1-4 (6:00) on Sunday vs. Pittsburgh, and are now 1-9 (11.1%) with the man advantage through two games. Last season, the Rangers’ power play tallied eight goals in the final six games of the regular season (8-27, 29.6% over the span), and 13-56 (23.2%) in the final 15 games. New York ranked 23rd overall (44-280, 15.7%) and 19th on the road (21-134, 15.7%). The Rangers were 4-18 (13:15) in five-on-three situations (last –4/5 at PIT), and 2-9 (12:08) when four-on-three (last –3/11 vs. NYI). Shorthanded goals allowed (4): 12/5 vs. TOR (Steckel); 12/8 vs. TBL (Moore); 12/17 at PHX (Korpikoski); 4/5 at PIT (Letang).

Penalty Killing: The Rangers were 3-5 (6:23) with a shorthanded goal on Sunday vs. Pittsburgh, and are now 10-12 (83.3%) while shorthanded through two games. Last season, New York’s penalty kill was 52-60 (86.7%) in the final 20 games, and tied for seventh in the NHL with eight shorthanded goals. New York ranked fifth overall (224-260, 86.2%) and sixth on the road (124-142, 87.3%). The Rangers were 9-10 (6:17) in three-on-five situations (last –3/28 at WPG), and 2-3 (2:24) when three-on-four (last –2/16 vs. CHI). Shorthanded goals for (8): 10/20 at CGY (Prust); 12/8 vs. TBL (Anisimov); 12/10 at BUF (Hagelin); 12/10 at BUF (Callahan); 12/20 at NJD (Hagelin); 1/6 at PIT (Dubinsky); 2/12 vs. WSH (Prust); 3/28 at WPG (Del Zotto).

BACK-TO-BACKSThe Rangers will begin their second of six back-to-back sets this season tonight against Boston. Last season, New York posted a combined record of 19-4-5 in back-to-back games, including a 9-2-3 (3-1-0 at home, 6-1-3 on the road) record in the first game and a 10-2-2 (6-0-0 at home, 4-2-2 on the road) mark in the second, and were 7-1-1 in the second game when opening the set with a win. Since 2009-10, New York is 31-11-4 in the second game of back-to-backs, with a 15-4-1 mark at MSG and 16-7-3 on the road over the span. Henrik Lundqvist has started on consecutive days 60 times in his career, posting a record of 38-15-7 with a 1.95 GAA, .931 Sv% and six shutouts in the second game.

ORIGINAL SIX SHOWDOWN:

Tonight’s contest will be the second of nine scheduled games against Original Six opponents this season (0-1-0)

Henrik Lundqvist was 7-5-0 with a 2.40 GAA and one shutout against Original Six opponents last season

Marian Gaborik led the Rangers in scoring against Original Six opponents last season with eight goals and 14 points

Brad Richards tallied 12 points against Original Six opponents last season, including a team-high, eight assists

Michael Del Zotto led all team defensemen in scoring with 10 points (four goals, six assists) against Original Six opponents last season

New York is 54-33-12 against Original Six teams since 2005-06, including a 20-7-2 mark vs. Boston over the span. The Rangers’ .606 win% ranks second, trailing Detroit (.651, 44-22-7), and ahead of Montreal (.602, 76-48-13), Chicago (.533, 35-30-11), Boston (.529, 64-56-20), and Toronto (.493, 58-60-19).

CLOSE CALL
The Rangers and Bruins have been separated by one goal in 17 of their last 22 meetings, including six games that required extra time and five that went to the shootout, dating back to Mar. 24, 2007. Four of the other five games during the stretch were decided by two goals, while one was decided by three goals (3-0 win on Feb. 14, 2012 at BOS). New York is 10-5-2 in one-goal games against Boston over the span.

Big game tonight that I see the Rangers winning. Too much top end talent and returning too strong of a D to get spanked.

We’ve lost games to the teams that I believe will finish 1/2 in the East (Rangers taking 4th) while looking out of sync and largely piss-poor – doesnt mean our team went from Good –> Heinous overnight.

I’d like to see he Jam on full display…. maybe Nash breaks someones face AND scores a goal?

Tiki et al. As Boris Lermontov would say: ” You cannot have it both ways. A dancer who relies upon the doubtful comforts of human love can never be a great dancer. Never.” Fortunately, John Tortorella is no Boris Lermontov…

There is some talk, right now, about Luongo (Ave. Cap Hit of $5.33M through 2022). Apparently the Canucks are saying there is at least one team interested.

Two interesting teams here that could be in play: Phlyers and Capitals. Both are potentially desperate but the Phlyers only have $811,106K in Cap Space so they would have to trade a LOT to get him in there. Caps are interesting because it would show they don’t believe in Holtby and they would set him back a long, long time.

Also, anybody think the Devils make a move for Luongo here to have him when Fatso retires?

You guys. I was just offered tickets to the game but I already am at work. This means I have no jersey. Are people going to think I’m a suit? Should I buy another jersey just for this evening? Or should I just be extra loud so it’s apparent I’m not just a suit.

I assume they would have to move him, Rob. Apparently they are really trying to make this work. Looking at capgeek it’s hard to see how they actually make it work but I think, to our benefit, it would make them a much worse team.

20. They want to be 0-3 for their showdown with the 0-3 Crud.
19. Renney/Pearn/
18. The Breakaway Contest After The Hockey Game Ends (BCATHGE).
17. Gary Bettman.
16. McDonagh is No Gomez.
15. Sather.
14. Brian Boyle (he and Fedostinko were blamed for everything last year, right?)
13. $19.50 prime rib sandwiches.
12. Torts has only one assistant coach.
11. No Avery.

I think Boyle is what he is at this point in his career. Does have great size, but makes very little use of it as you’ve stated before Manny. Now Dubi’s a guy that knew how to use his body and frame to shield the puck. Skating, i’ll leave that to the master, Joe Micheletti.

Joe Micheletti: “the Rangers are 0-2 because they didn’t skate, and the opposing teams skated. Tonight, if the Rangers skate, they win.”

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Wayne Simmonds calling Flyers game against us a must win for them. Interesting. Laviollette will be on the hot seat much quicker than Torts imo. Oh and a couple of Flyers fans are complaining about Fedotenko’s conditioning. Bet that wouldnt be an issue if he was a Ranger.

Carp, you do have some great regular posters here (and by no means am I including myself in that group). It is one of the things, along with your straightforward analysis and interaction with the readers/posters, that made me stick around.

yeah, that’s not exactly one of those “Post Exclusives” Kenny. Been known for a while. … also for all Sundays, or Sunday matinees or something like that.

Manny, I work in the dashboard, so I see all comments as they come in, no matter what thread … also see all the spam, and you would not believe how much of that crap gets blocked or how bad some of it is …

Youse guys all know that I already staked out my spot on lower Broadway for the parade. This is gonna be a loooong and hungry Winter if I sit here all half-season and we don’t end up wining the whole shebang. Willing to take bids for my spot here. Stop by to see me on B’Way and Rector… I’ll be the Fat Guy with blue frostbitten toes. They look like my kids’ blueberry icepops

Does anyone know if the team has a creepy victory fedora this season? We certainly wouldn’t know after the way they played the first two games..I hope to God that it isn’t the same hat from last year. If that thing didn’t disintegrate by now it could probably give someone botulism by now..

they used to use the red dot ont he puck so the casual observer could follow the play? They should put a red dot on Mike and JR’s foreheads to show brain activity so we know when one of these two idiots is using it

Seriously though. Sweaters are stupid expensive. So I never wear one because I would intentionally vomit on myself if I bought one. Because I’m too poor for that kind of purchase. Might get a nylon based knockoff though.

Great point though Doodie. Don’t vomit on your suit intentionally. Especially if you’re going to sleep in it and wear it to work tomorrow.